Christian
Gibbs has been around for over a decade, playing with acts as diverse
as Modern English and Foetus. He also fronted the Morning Glories. Now
based in New York City, Gibbs shows off both his songwriting smarts and
the high caliber of his musical compatriots on The Pinkerman Set.

There are shades of
Nick Cave in the deep resonance of his voice, but he uses it toward his
own idiosyncratic ends. "Oversized Pin Cushion" opens the proceedings
with fleshy guitar layers and a vocal that starts out with the everyman
ease of Peter Lewis (OK, I was playing the first Moby Grape album again
this week, there's no stopping me) before pulling on a ski mask and threatening
possible danger. "Tall Shoe Marie" melds Waits-like arrangement
flourishes to a music hall chorus that sends cinematic vignettes flashing
through your mind.

Elsewhere, guitar-bass-drums
kick around the fringes of power-pop with enough flair and verve to move
to the valedictorian seat of the class. The lyrics throughout bristle
with sharp-focused intensity. A couplet such as, "The ribcage endears
keeping the pain/Holding it in while letting it crave" flows with
an ease that belies the care taken in its creation.